Beat of a Different Drum
by guard4ever
Summary: What would happen if a color guard girl joined indoor drumline? Well I found out. This is my story of taking a chance, hard work, and joining something I will never forget for the rest of my life. Enjoy and review pleasee! :
1. Beginning of it All

**AN: So this is a story I have been recently working on about my interesting experience. I love colorguard and now I have fallen in love with drumline. This is as close to what happened as it can get. Names changed obviously since I don't want to give out information. Please enjoy and let me know what you think! A.**

Beat of a Different Drum

Intro:

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Rayna Clark. I am in the middle of my junior year of high school at a small school in the middle of nowhere known as South Greenfield high school. I have devoted most of my social life in the fall to marching band. I have been in colorguard for three years and this past season I was co captain with my best friend, Hillary. Now that it is over I have made a huge decision, I am joining indoor drumline.

I know what's probably going through your mind right now; a guard girl couldn't make it through an entire season of drumline. Well whatever happens I am doing it and I will make it through the season.

I'm sure you are also wondering why I would sign up for drumline in the first place. Well that answer is simple. I like trying new things and as a kid I always wanted to play drums but my mother wouldn't let me. This is my opportunity to learn a new instrument, somehow.

Most, if not all, of my friends say I won't make it and that I am especially not going to like the instructor, Mr. Edwards. During marching band season he would always be yelling at the battery about something. But I am not scared of his yelling, I'm sure he does it out of love from deep, deep down in his heart. I wonder if he will remember me from marching band. I almost hit him in the head with my rifle when he was walking backwards and my spot was right near the battery, where he was. It was funny in my opinion, but hopefully he won't remember.

But now I am getting off subject and I don't remember what I was going to say next. I guess we will never know.

Ciao,

R.

Chapter One:

After freezing on the car ride to the school, my dad was too stubborn to turn up the heat, we finally made it and I ran straight for the band room. Inside I found a couple of the drumline guys standing around wearing their jackets from last year. On the back it said our school's name and on the front in gold embroidered letters were the words "All Chapter Champions 2011" Obviously they wanted to get a matching one for this season, more pressure on me to be good.

All the guys were helping set up chairs since I was early, as always. That's what happens when you're in marching band. Early is on time, on time is late. Tonight I learned it was going to be the same thing here.

Once more people came I took a seat next to one of my friends, Jess. She is a freshman this year and I met her when I joined marching band last year. We were in the same cabin together and soon became friends. I knew everyone who had showed up for the meeting. All the guys from the battery were there except for one 8th grader. Other than Jess, from the pit two people were here. There was also another girl there that I sort of knew. Deane. She is in my grade and was sitting next to another junior girl that played flute in marching band named Christy. And then there was another girl there from guard which really surprised me. Addie was super loud but crazy fun. This was definitely going to be an interesting season.

After it seemed that everyone had arrived Mr. Edwards started talking, and I noticed as he began that he didn't seem as mean when he wasn't yelling. Most of the members from last year were sitting in the back joking around, which Mr. Edwards didn't seem to mind since he just stood at the front almost cracking a smile. There were at least 9 or 10 members there from last year. All guys besides Deane, which must have been interesting.

He went over some information and then showed us the show from last year. The guys from last year asked what this year's show was but Mr. Edwards didn't say what it was. At the end of the meeting we had to write a paper, yes a paper, on why we wanted to join drumline. I wrote about how music was my life and told the story of how I always wanted to play drums. I also explained that I love trying new things and love challenges.

I thought it was kind of strange that we had to write him a paper but I wasn't going to question him since he obviously knew what he was doing. I was kind of surprised though that he was starting practices now, our first one being this Saturday. I guess it makes sense though since there are a lot of new kids joining who need to learn the basics.

"We are going to have so much fun!" Addie said, more like yelled, to me when everyone was getting ready to leave. Some of the guys gave me a dirty look; they were obviously thrilled that I was joining. But despite what they think I am going to do it and I am going to have fun with it.

I left school anxious for Saturday to come. I had a good feeling about this season. I can't wait to start.

Later,

R.


	2. First Practice

**AN: So I hope you are enjoying this story, it certainly was an interesting experience to try and write about. Anyway as always I love hearing what you think so please review :) And here is chapter two! **

Chapter Two:

I got up at 6 and left my house at 7:30 to get to the school early. When I got there a few people were there. Addie was there already and so were Cory, Chris and Bryan. They were all talking and moving instruments into a line. As they were setting up I talked to Jess and Addie until we got yelled at to help them. Everyone was there by the time the clock said 8 o'clock, but Mr. Edwards didn't arrive until a few minutes later.

"Sit down." He directed and we all found a seat in the arch of chairs we set up. We began practice with him having us go around and tell him our names. "We will start over here." He said looking at an 8th grader sitting at the one end of the arch.

"Sam," he said then looked at the kid next to him.

"Um, I'm Kyle." He's Christy's younger brother, which explains why they look quite a bit alike.

"Christy," she said somewhat quietly.

"Deane," she said with confidence.

"Chris." A guy sitting next to her said. He is in my grade and has curly blonde hair.

"Bryan," the guy next to Chris said. He was really tan and had, literally, a perfect smile.

Next was Cory, a guy I knew from middle school, and then came Bill, another junior who is tall and blonde. Next to him was Nick. He is a sophomore and a really good drummer.

"Dillon," he said and smiled.

"Max." said the guy next to Dillon. Then Sarah went and then Emily.

"Peter," a guy I have known for a while said. After him was Addie, who was as loud as ever, and Jess. That's when I realized I had to go next.

"Rayna," I mumbled quietly.

"Talk louder!" Mr. Edwards said to me.

"Rayna," I said louder.

"Better," he said. He instructed everyone that had mallets to give any extras to the new kids who didn't have any yet, which was Addie, Peter, Christy, Kyle and I. I managed to get a pair of mallets from Jess. Then we were instructed to go to the instruments and since there were so many of us and so little instruments we had to partner up on all of them. I started partnered up with Sarah, who looked super small standing next to me.

We began with the most basic thing you could learn, how to hold the mallet. I obviously didn't know so they corrected me until I got it. Then I had to learn how to properly hit the keys, which did not come easy either. After that the confusion continued when we had to start learning exercises. I got the first one since it was going up the scale but after that they got more and more complicated. Once lunch came I was so ready for the break from playing.

I sat on the risers near the windows with Addie, Jess, Peter, Sarah, Sam and Emily. On the other side of the room were Christy, Deane, and Kyle. In the middle of the room in a huge group were the guys, Dillon, Bryan, Bill, Nick, Cory, and Chris. The only person not eating with us was Max who was in the piano lab on the computer.

While sitting around we talked quietly to ourselves while the other groups talked amongst themselves. It was definitely quiet in there, other than the occasional burst of laughter from the group of guys. But after lunch it was back to making noise for another 2 hours.

We learned a couple more exercises then for the last hour we sat back down in the arch and he started handing out a lot of papers. It was all the exercises and as he handed them out he said we had to learn all of them. Then he went on to explain how we were going to get our jackets while one of the band moms came in and started sorting some papers.

"For the new kids after we perform at the first competition we are going to test you on your knowledge of the exercises. The more you know the better." That's all he told us about it. "Do you have anything to say to them?" he asked Cory's mom.

"Yes," and she came in front of us and starting handing out folders full of papers. "Bring this home and have your parents fill them out and bring them back as soon as possible." Once she was done all the students worked together to put the instruments back to where they belonged then we were kicked out of the school so that the janitors could lock the doors.

"Rayna," I heard Peter yell as I walked outside. "Could you possibly drive me home?" I just rolled my eyes and nodded. "Thank you."

"Dad we are driving Peter home okay?" my dad nodded.

"So how was practice?" he asked as we left the parking lot.

"Good, we learned some of the basics today." I stared out the window as Peter started going on and on about how good he was, even though he was definitely not as good as some of the people. Luckily I wouldn't have to hear anymore of this until Thursday if we have to drive him again. Hopefully we won't have to, but we probably will.

Peace out,

R.

(P.S. I didn't realize drumline was going to be this exhausting, I'm going to sleep well tonight.)


End file.
